PROSPECT PARK — A baby red-tailed hawk that crash landed on a stoop near Fort Greene Park has been released back into the wild.
After two months of rehabilitation at Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation, the 4-month old was ready to fly the coop Thursday.
"He is strong and healthy," said Bobby Horvath of WINORR, who rescued the fledgling. "We feel it is a good time to set him free."
On Thursday morning in Prospect Park, a class of third graders from Brooklyn's St. Francis Xavier School had the honor of naming the hawk before watching his release.
After a vote, he was named "Albert."
Albert was born in Fort Greene Park. His father died shortly after from a disease called frounce that he contracted from eating a sick pigeon, Horvath said.
His mother then left and has yet to return. The starving baby was found weak on a stoop outside of the park.
"When we found him he weighed a little over a pound. Now he weighs five pounds," Horvath said. "But he was spunky then and he is still spunky now."
Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey tossed Albert into the air. The bird flew to the nearest tree where he turned and looked back onto the crowd.
"In 15 minutes he might fly back to Fort Greene Park," Horvath said. "Or he could stay here forever, you never know."
Seconds after his release, the blue jays one tree over began to call, letting other birds know a new predator is in town.
